The Break Up [Brief]

Film #522

THE PLOT

In a bid to keep their luxurious condo from their significant other, a couple’s break-up proceeds to get uglier and nastier by the moment.

THE REVIEW: Continuing with semi-decent romantic-comedies starring Jennifer Aniston, The Break-Up is another interesting entry into the mix. Also starring perennial rom-com favorite Vince Vaughn, this film breaks the mold in many ways of what you come to expect in this genre. Instead of being about two people who fall in love, it is about two people who fall out of love. There isn’t the usually turn-around in the end either with the happy ending. Hints of these ideas are still present in the film — there’s still a happy ending, just not the happy ending you might expect) — but with a little twist.

For the most part, subverting the conventions works well for The Break-Up. It feels familiar and yet fresh at the same time. It’s not often films are filled with the yelling and fighting that goes on in a relationship (at least in romantic-comedies; films like Blue Valentine handle the fighting more frequently but those are more romantic-dramas). Adding in humor makes for a great contrast and a somewhat see-saw ride up-and-down throughout the film. Laughs are quite consistent throughout the film though there are few big scenes that deliver “fall out of your seat you laugh so hard” moments.

As with a lot of the films I’ve been watching recently, The Break-Up doesn’t need to be seen right away. It falls comfortably into the “when you’re looking for a decent film to watch” category most often occurring during lazy summer days. Not much is memorable about this film, but it is fun to watch for the just under two hours it takes to screen. Of course, any Vince Vaughn or Jennifer Aniston fans will probably get some added enjoyment from The Break-Up, but their performances are quite run-of-the-mill you could find in other films like Wedding Crashers (Vaughn) or Bruce Almighty (Aniston).

THE RATING: 3 out of 5